


As Simple As

by Isis



Category: Turn (TV 2014)
Genre: American Revolution, F/M, M/M, Multi, Nostalgia, Post-S1, Spies & Secret Agents, Very Vaguely Implied Abraham/Benjamin/Caleb, Yuletide
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-09
Updated: 2014-12-09
Packaged: 2018-02-28 17:55:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,664
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2741690
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Isis/pseuds/Isis
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>With his code-book burned, and no chance to send a petticoat message, Abe must seek out Ben and Caleb to tell them what happened in Setauket after they left.</p>
            </blockquote>





	As Simple As

**Author's Note:**

  * For [eudaimon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/eudaimon/gifts).



> A Yuletide treat for you, eudaimon! 
> 
> Thanks to mollivanders for beta reading.

Abraham couldn't check the dead drop, not with Mary watching him like a cat eyeing a mouse. Not that it would matter, as he hadn't memorized more than a handful of the codes before the code-book went up in flames. Any message left for him would be no more than a meaningless string of numbers, and though he must tell Ben about what had happened after he left, he will not take the risk of leaving an uncoded message, not with the British crawling over Setauket. And as things stand now it is out of the question that he see Anna privately, so he can't even send an emergency signal of petticoats. 

Which of his sins, he wonders, is worse in Mary's eyes: that of adultery, or of treason? Certainly his third sin – that of murder – should be considered the worst of all, but from her quick action in its wake, he suspects she sees it differently. In the eyes of the law, he has betrayed his king; in the eyes of God, he has broken the holy commandments. But to his wife, these are the least of his crimes. 

Still, while his father recovers from his wounds, it is left to him to conduct his business of supplying the British army with foodstuffs. Surely Mary would not think of coming with him, with Thomas to care for?

"You already took the cabbages to New York," she points out, her lips pursed in the grimmest of lines. No doubt she is remembering that Anna had accompanied him on that journey. No doubt she is imagining Anna in his arms, in his bed.

"There are other arrangements we made that we must honor," he says. "And other deals to make."

"To feed the English army." The derisive note in her voice is not lost on him. The English army, against which she now knows he is secretly fighting.

"You don't think I should help feed the English army?"

"I think you should consider very carefully whose side you are on," she says, and he is certain it's not just the Tories and the rebels she's talking about.

In the other room, his father coughs, and they both look guiltily toward the door. "It's his business I need to take care of," he says.

It's not as though he hasn't lied to her before.

* * *

He drives the wagon slowly through the forest, with only the vaguest of plans. By now they must surely be concerned about his silence. They must be expecting him to make contact.

But Ben Tallmadge could be anywhere. And his men are not the only ones in the forests of Long Island. If a Redcoat stops him, Abe's got his papers, and if it's another Continental regiment, he is confident he can simply ask to be taken to Major Tallmadge; but if it's one of the Irregulars, as he knows, all bets are off. And then there are the red Indians....

The horses are trained well enough that they don't shy when men come out of the woods, but they stop in their tracks, and it jolts Abe from his worried reverie. When he sees the figure stride toward him, his heart lifts, for he recognizes the man immediately. It is Selah Strong, and so Ben and Caleb must be nearby.

"It is good to see you," he begins, swinging down from his seat. "I have –"

"You bastard," roars Selah, and his fist takes Abe right between the eyes.

* * *

"Sorry about that," says Ben. The sun is setting, orange and red streaking the gray sky, and it's starting to get cold. Abe sits near their cook-fire with a damp cloth over his aching brow. "But Anna broke his heart when she ran back to you."

"What was that damn fool of a girl thinking?" This from Caleb, on Ben's other side. His face is shadowed by the brim of his hat, but Abe can imagine his expression, fond and half-admiring, belying his words.

"It wasn't me she was running to," he says, shooting a glance at Selah, who is sitting across the fire from them, glowering. It is only partly a lie. "She is as much a part of our organization as any of us here. Her Abigail is in Major Andre's house now. We can't afford to lose that line of communication, and she knows that."

Ben shakes his head in a warning. "Quietly, Abe. The fewer people who know that, the better."

"She thought you were dead, Selah. She was told you were dead."

"Well, she knows better now," says Selah bitterly.

"Give her time, she'll get her head back on her shoulders," says Caleb. "And Abe's right, we need her there, especially now that our Mr. Culpeper's been compromised."

" _Culper_ ," Abe protests, but Caleb's words are hard truth no matter what name he uses. When he'd arrived at their camp he'd told them about Mary finding and burning the code-book – he'd told them everything. _Traitor, adulterer, murderer._

"Will she protect what she knows?" Ben asks. "Mary, I mean."

Abe spreads his hands in frustration. "Maybe. Maybe not. I don't think she has any great love for King George – it's only that she wants to protect herself and Thomas. As long as keeping me safe keeps them safe, she'll be silent." _I hope._

They are all silent, for a moment. The fire crackles and hisses, sending sparks into the darkening sky.

"You could come with us," says Caleb suddenly. "He could, Ben, how about it?"

Ben smiles and nods. "Like in the old days."

Like in the old days. Abe remembers those days, the warmth of sunlight filtering through the leaves in the Brewster's apple orchard, the snowball fights in winter on the green. The ABC Gang, they called themselves: Abraham, Benjamin, Caleb. Three of a kind.

Things were simpler, then, before Anna, before Mary: as simple as A, B, C. The three of them had shared all the secrets they kept from their parents and the rest of the world. They had lied to protect each other, sworn oaths to each other. They had dared each other to ridiculous feats. And this, their spy ring, is the greatest feat of all, the culmination of everything they had done together, everything they had been together.

Caleb and Ben sit side-by-side on the log that serves as a bench. In the dim light of dusk, it's probably not visible to anybody other than Abe, sitting close by on his folded greatcoat, but he can see that the back of Caleb's right hand is just touching the back of Ben's left hand, one small point of contact. It is enough for them – it must be enough for them, Abe thinks – at least while they are here, surrounded by the men of the Continental Army who serve under Ben's command.

All the same, it kindles a jealousy in his heart that takes him by surprise. What they share must be as secret – more secret, surely – as what he shares with Anna. What he _shared_ with Anna, he amends to himself, and that is why he is jealous: they still have their secret, while his has been broken and burned and buried. 

In that moment he is desperately tempted to say yes, to come with them, to join their army. What more can he do in Setauket, under Mary's stern eye? He is no soldier, but he will serve the cause of freedom in whatever way he can. And to serve it alongside his closest friends, secure in their love – that would be a blessing and a joy.

But his son is in Setauket, Thomas, whom he loves fiercely and unconditionally. Thomas needs his father. His own father, the magistrate, needs him, and despite their differences and their battles, Abraham loves him too. There is Mary, to whom he is bound. And there is Anna.

There is Anna.

Selah's eyes meet his across the fire, and abruptly he feels ashamed. Selah was his friend as well, in the old days. And now Selah has lost his slaves, his tavern, his home. How can Abraham take his wife?

He shakes his head. "I must see to my business in the city. And then I must return to Setauket. There are those who need me there."

" _We_ need you," says Caleb. He sighs. "Well, we could use you again. If you can find a way."

"It would be of great service to our cause," Ben agrees.

"I can't promise anything. But Mr. Culper will do his best."

"Good," says Ben. "But I hope Mr. Culper will wait until tomorrow morning to ride off. You should share the hospitality of our camp for the night."

"You should share the hospitality of our tent for the night," adds Caleb, and Ben nods. Like in the old days.

This time, he does say yes.

* * *

In the morning, he deliberately seeks out Selah, who looks up at him suspiciously from his bowl of porridge. 

"I will give her a message from you, if you like."

Selah frowns. "She knows what I would say to her. And I'd not have you give her sweet words of your own under cover of mine."

"Then I'll tell her that you are well. And that you look forward to being with her again."

Selah looks at him for a long moment; then he holds out his hand, and Abe reaches out to clasp it. They are on the same side in this war, at least.

He harnesses the horses, climbs to his seat, and turns the wagon toward New York. In another day or two, he will return to Setauket, to the wife whom he does not love and the woman he should not love. It's a little easier for him to face now, after spending these past hours with his friends; with Ben and Caleb, whom he has always loved. For one night, everything was simple again – as simple as A, B, C.


End file.
